THUNDER dOWNUNDER falls to 1-2 bracket after BIG loss
THUNDER dOWNUNDER have joined compatriots FlyQuest in the dreaded 1-2 bracket at the ongoing IEM Cologne Major 2026 Stage 1 after going down to BIG in their 1-1 bracket game. The Australian squad had nothing to show for on a lacklustre T side which sees BIG move closer to qualifying to Stage 2 while THUNDER dOWUNDER will now have to win 2 BO3s to make the next Stage with no scope for errors moving ahead.
TjP and dexter helped THUNDER dOWNUNDER convert a 3v4 retake on the B site to get things going on Inferno but BIG answered with a force buy on the B site a faveN converted a 1v2 to see BIG get on the board early. The force buy wars continued as Liazz and asap's Five-Seven's saw the Australian team retake the lead but gr1ks' Deagle saw BIG reply with a force of their own once again. aliStair made up for a shocking miss to deny tabseN a 1v2 and the force wars finally stopped as THUNDER dOWNUNDER put up back-to-back rounds for the first time in the match in the sixth round of the game.
BIG found momentum once all of them had the full buys out as the went on to take a two round lead on their T side. A double opener from faveN handed BIG the second pistol and other than a 2v3 conversion from dexter and asap on the B site, there was nothing else to show on the T side from THUNDER dOWNUNDER as BIG went on to pick up a comfortable 13-7 win. The win puts BIG into the 2-1 bracket while THUNDER dOWNUNDER drops to the 1-2 bracket and are on the brink of elimination.
THUNDER dOWNUNDERBIG| THUNDER dOWNUNDER |
K - D | +/- | ADR | KAST | Rating 3.0 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Tyson 'asap' Paterson |
16 - 16 | +0 | 93.1 | 65.0% | 1.14 |
| Tynan 'TjP' Purtell |
12 - 17 | -5 | 72.3 | 65.0% | 0.93 |
| Christopher 'dexter' Nong |
10 - 15 | -5 | 74.7 | 60.0% | 0.86 |
| Jay 'Liazz' Tregillgas |
10 - 15 | -5 | 63.4 | 75.0% | 0.80 |
| Alistair 'aliStair' Johnston |
11 - 11 | +0 | 44.5 | 60.0% | 0.74 |
| BIG |
K - D | +/- | ADR | KAST | Rating 3.0 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Josef 'faveN' Baumann |
18 - 12 | +6 | 87.2 | 75.0% | 1.57 |
 Benjamin 'blameF' Bremer |
15 - 10 | +5 | 92.3 | 85.0% | 1.32 |
| Jon 'JDC' de Castro |
15 - 13 | +2 | 66.6 | 65.0% | 1.23 |
 Gleb 'gr1ks' Gazin |
14 - 11 | +3 | 82.3 | 70.0% | 1.12 |
| Johannes 'tabseN' Wodarz |
11 - 13 | -2 | 55.8 | 70.0% | 0.89 |
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